Destiny's Call
by AJRand
Summary: Revan leaves for the Unknown Regions in the middle of the night. FRevan/Juhani


**Disclaimer: I own nothing. That right goes to LucasArts and BioWars.**

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A metallic groan filled the small room as Revan eased off the bed. She froze instantly, glancing over her shoulder at Juhani. The Cathar didn't move so Revan resumed getting up. She wasn't proud of her choice to leave in the middle of the night, but she knew that something inside her would die if she said this farewell. The two of them would see each other again, so there really wasn't any need for an official good-bye. At least that's what she told herself.

In reality there was no guarantee of her return. She could easily be killed while fighting the Sith, and just as easily die of other causes while still hunting them. She had no way of knowing for sure that she'd return, but she had to believe she would.

Off the bed, she slunk to the corner of the room and squatted by the footlocker she had there. It had been filled with the supplies she'd need for her journey the night before, and had remained partially open so the click of its locks disengaging wouldn't awaken Juhani. Pushing the lid fully open, Revan grabbed the clothing she'd laid out. It wasn't anything fancy, just the old outfit she'd been wearing when she escaped the Endar Spire with Carth, but she felt more at home in it than anything she'd ever worn.

Moving slowly so the rustle of fabric wouldn't be too loud, she slipped on the gray shirt and pants. She took extra care while donning the jacket, hoping that the blaster-proof material laid into the fabric wouldn't clink against itself while she moved it. Reaching out to the spot she'd designated for her boots, Revan realized something was wrong. Her shoes weren't where she'd thought they were.

Normally, she would have just left without them. She'd been through enough pain in her life that splinters didn't affect her. But she was on Coruscant now, and the planet's streets were littered with things worse than a simple splinter. Images of broken bottles already contaminated with someone else's blood filled Revan head. Her mission was far too important to let a disease stop her before she'd even began.

Her hand reached out into the darkness around her, searching in case she'd just forgotten the location of her boots. Nothing. Revan turned on the balls of her feet, trying desperately to find her boots without turning on a light. She needed to leave before Juhani woke up and the more she moved around the more noise she'd make.

Realizing that she wouldn't be able to search in the dark with just her eyes, Revan took a careful step that brought her closer to the center of the room. She raised her hands in front of her to feel what she was coming to before her face slammed into it. There was nothing there so she took another step forward. She knew that finding the shoes would be easier if she were to assist her efforts with the Force, but she feared that any exertion into it would be sensed by Juhani and bring her to full awareness.

Revan took another measured step and once again felt nothing in front of her. Confident that she'd found a clear path around the bed, her steps began to come with shorter pauses in between. Her socks kept her from making any noise as she snuck around and her movements were not so great that they jostled the inserts in her jacket. Her hands continually touched nothing, but she was careful that there wouldn't be too much sound if they did.

A soft rustle from the bed froze Revan in her tracks. Her mind ran through different lies she could use if caught sneaking around the room, but she deeply hoped it wouldn't come to that. It was already hard enough to leave while Juhani slept, and lying to her minutes before she departed would only make it hurt more. Still, anything seemed better than having to utter farewells.

"Revan?" a soft voice came from the bed. "What are you doing?"

"I was just adjusting the temperature. I don't know about you, but I was sweating like a Kath Hound," Revan instantly replied. She'd decided that lying about such an insignificant thing didn't matter in the long run. Juhani was unlikely to remember the short conversation in the morning, and she would have no way of knowing that Revan didn't really change the temperature if she did.

"But why are you out of bed? The thermostat is on your nightstand," the Cathar reached to her own nightstand as she spoke, flicking on the lamp attached to it. Revan blinked against the sudden brightness that filled her vision. "What are you doing?"

Revan felt her heart rate speed up as she desperately tried to think of an excuse for being dressed. Lies had once been the foundation upon which her life was built, but she suddenly found her mind void of any.

"You're leaving." The whispered words didn't hold any of the accusation they should have, just a sorrowful acceptance.

"Juhani, I have to. I've already put this off far too long."

Juhani nodded slowly. "I know. I've seen the way you've moved since defeating Malak. You've been trying to pull away without leaving and it's tearing you apart."

Revan winced to herself. She'd thought she'd been able to keep her preparations a secret. It had never occurred to her that the act of doing so would tip Juhani off. "There was so much to do here," she muttered pitifully. It was a weak excuse, but true enough.

"We can handle it. Bastila, Jolee, and I are strong enough to take care of any threat the Republic faces."

"I know. I'm sorry." She didn't have to say what for. They both knew the only thing she had to apologize for in that moment was trying to sneak away.

A weak smile crept across Juhani's face. "Just hurry back. I might need someone to change the temperature for me while I sleep."


End file.
